Sheet metal window frame structure and method of forming the same



Nov. 8, 1938. E. F. CHAFFEE ET AL 2,136,273

SHEET METAL WINDOW FRAME STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME 3 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTAORS.

III A ORNEY$ Nov. 8, 1938. E. F. CHAFFEE ET AL 2,136,273

SHEET METAL WINDOW FRAME STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME s Sheets-Shea; 2

Filed March 14, 1936 A ORNEYS.

Nov. 8, 1938. E. F. CHAFFEE ET AL SHEET METAL WINDOW FRAME STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed March 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Speet 3 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET METAL WINDOW TURE AND METHOD OF FORDHN SAME FRAME STRUC- THE New York Application March 14, 1936, Serial No. 68,914

3 Claims. (Cl. 189-75) This invention relates to sheet metal window frame structures, particularly window frame structures used in vehicles, as stream-lined, airconditioned, railway cars, and has for its objecta particularly simple window frame construction for receiving a sash, and the method of forming the same.

More specifically, it has for its object a sheet metal window frame U-shaped in cross section 10 with the channel of the U formation facing edgewise outward and with four rounding corners and corner plates on the exterior angles of the flanges of the U formation, to square the corners, to-

gether with additional strips which forma glazing strip receiving groove around the four sides of the frame. It also has for its object the method of forming such a frame from a blank or blanks, each of which is formed up to form one or more cor- 20 ners of the sash.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the method hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had 25 to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a window embodying our invention, the same being shown as 30 standing at one end instead of lying down horizontally, when in use.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken respectively on lines 2-2, 33, and 44, Figure l. p

. Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Figure 3, showing a double sash mounted in the frame instead of a single sash.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank with the notches which come at the corners 40 of the frame therein.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view showing the blank when bent up into channel form.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation showing the channel-shaped blank, when bent up into rectangular form, to include one or more corners of the frame.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view illustrating the step of applying flller plates to the exterior angles of the rounding corners and filling the spaces 5 left by the slots formed in the'blank.

the opposite side of the sash from that shown in Figure 9 showing the filler plates applied to the exterior angles of the narrower flanges of the U- 55 shaped formation.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view takenfrom Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevation of the additional strips applied to the wider flanges of the frame U-shaped in general form in cross section.

Figure 12 is an edge view of parts seen in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary elevation of the glazing strips.

Figures 14, 15 and 16 are enlarged isometric views of sections of slightly modified forms of this window frame construction.

This window frame comprises a rectangular main member I with rounding corners I and formed up from a blank 2 into U-shape in/gen eral form in cross section with a channel 3 of the a U formation facing edgewise outwardly of the frame, corner plates squaring the exterior corners, one of the flanges 4 of the U formation beind wider than the other flange 5, an additional strip overlying the wider flange of the channel formation and adjacent the cornerplates and forming a glazing strip receiving groove.

The blank 2 is formed with slots 6 at intervals opening through the edge of the portion thereof which forms the wider flange 4,. and these slots are located to come at the exterior angles of the corners, when the blank is bent up into rectangular form. The main member I is also formed with a flange I on the opposite side of the intermediate portion 8 of the U formation to that on which the flanges 4 and are located, the flange.

I being coplanar with the flange 5 and forming a sash or window stop in the final assembly. The member I may be made up from a single blank bent up to form four corners or formed of two or more pieces, each of which has formed therein one or more of the corners of the frame slots 8', these corner plates squaring the outside,

corners of the wider flanges 4 of the frame member I and filling the slots 6". They are welded, as at I2, to the wider flanges 4 at the end of the slots 6 and are also welded at II to the remainder I of the wider flanges 4. Preferably, the inner curved margins of the corner plates Iii lap under the flanges 4 and are welded thereto.

i4 designate corner plates for squaring the corners of the frame member I at the exterior angles of the narrower flanges 5 of the frame member I. These are weldedat I5 along the curved hypotenuse side of the plate I4 to .the edges of the flanges 5 at the rounding corners. The outer edges of the corner plates III are in line with the outer edges of the wider flanges 4 of the top and bottom rails and end rails of the frame member I. Likewise, the outer edges of the corner plates I4 are in line with the outer edges of the narrower flanges 5 of the frame member I.

I6 designates an additional strip in the form of a rectangular frame secured to the outer face of the frame member I' and overlying the outer faces of the wider flanges 4 and the corner plates I8 and secured thereto, preferably by welding. This additional strip is in the form of a flat rectangular frame, and as here shown, includes four pieces II, I8, I9 and 28, the pieces II, I8 overlying the upper and lower rails of the frame member I and the pieces I8, 28, the end rails of the frame member I. Two of these pieces, as the end pieces I9, 20 are also formed with corner pieces which overlap the plates.

The outer margins 21 of the end members I9 and 20 project beyond the edges of the flanges 4 at the ends of the frame member I and are deflected inwardly slightly, so that when the assembled frame is applied to the framing 22 of the window opening of the car body, these flanges 2| are compressed out of the deflected position into straight position. The window frame is secured to the framing 22 of the window opening by screws, as 23 (Figure 2) extending through the openings, as 24, in the rails of the frame I8 and through the underlying wider flanges 4 and threading into the frame member 22. The frame member I has secured thereto, as by screws 25, a strip or flange 26 which covers the crevice 26" between the flanges 5 with the corner plates I4 and the framing 22 of the window opening.

The inner margins of the rail members I1, I8, is and 28 of the frame I6 are spaced apart from the inner margins of the wider flanges 4 where they join the intermediate part 8 of the U- formation of the frame member I, in order to form a groove for receiving a glazing strip. As here illustrated, this groove is provided by deflecting inwardly at 21 (Figures 2, 3 and '7) the wider flanges 4, thereby providing the inner sides of these grooves flush with the sash frame.

28 designates the glazing strips. These are formed from flat sheet metal blanks and the glazing strips along the longer, that is, the top and bottom rails of the frame I are formed with arcuate corner pieces 28 for fitting into the portions of the glazing strip grooves at the roundi corners of the frame I, the glazing strips 28, which run along the upright rails, are merely straight strips. The glazing strips are held in position by screws 88 extending transversely through the walls of the glazing strip groove and through the interposed portion of the glazing strip.

3i designates generally the sash, this including a marginal U-shaped frame 82 usually of rubber or fibrous material. In Figures 2 and 3, a single sash is shown, but the window frame is made to receive, or is adaptable to receive a double sash, if necessary, and in order to fill the space between.- the single sash 3i and the outerstop "I, a filler strip 88 is shown, this being here shown as in the form of a channel in cross section and mounted with the open side of the channel toward the intermediate part 8 ofthe U formation of the frame member I. It is held in position in any suitable manner, as by screws 86. When, however, a double sash is to be installed, this filler strip 88 is removed or eliminated and a double sash inserted between the glazing strips and the outer stop I, as shown in Figure 5, wherein the two glass panes 8| are fitted in a sheet metal channelshaped frame member with a separator strip 88 of flbrous material between them, and this sash frame member 88 is seated in the U-shaped weather and buffer strip 81, which, in turn is seated in the channel formed by the flange 1, intermediate part 8 of the main frame member I and the glazing strip 28.

In forming this window frame, the blank strip or strips are slotted or notched at 8 and formed up into channel form, shown in Figure 7, with the slots 8 of the wider flanges coming at the corners of the frame. The corner plates Iii and I4 are then welded in position. The additional strips of the frame members ii are then applied to the wider flanges 4. Before being applied, however, they arewelded together in the form shown in Figure 12 from sheet metal blanks. The end pieces I8 and 28, which include the corner plates, are duplicates and each formed from blanks, and the top and bottom strips I1 and I8 are straight and cut from blanks. The four pieces are butt welded together, as at 48. The glazing strips 28 are also struck from flat blanks, those cooperating with the top and bottom rails have the curved pieces 28 welded thereto at their ends. If a single sash is to be used, the filler strip 88 is secured in the frame against the outer stop i, the sash 8i placed in position against the end, the glazing strips applied, and then the assembled structure applied to the window opening and secured thereto by means of the screws 23 and 25. If a double sash is used, as shown in Figure 5, the filler plate 88 is eliminated and the double sash placed in the frame with the weather and buffer strip 81' against the outer stop 1 and the glazing strip 28 applied, or the sash or sashes may be applied, after the frame is secured in the window opening.

By reason of this structure of the frame member I, corner plates I0 and I4, frame member I and glazing strips, a high-class window frame is produced very economically. Also, the frame is particularly strong and rigid, compact and narrow and particularlyadapted for stream lined railway cars.

Under some weather conditions, due to widely different temperatures inside and outside the vehicle body in which the frame is installed, condensation or sweating occurs on the portion of the frame exposed within the vehicle body. In order to remedy this condition, theframe member 40 instead of being formed up in U formation in one piece, as shown in Figure 7, may be formed of two angular pieces with the strip of heat insulating material between them, as seen in Figure 14. f

In Figure 14, 4I designates the frame member corresponding to the frame member I (Figure 7) this being formed up of two portions or sections 42, 43, the section 42 being formed with the flanges 5* and 1 corresponding to the flanges, 5 and I and with the bottom flange. 8 and the portion or section 48 being 'of substantially the same formation as the flange 4 (Figure '7), it being also formed'with a bottom flange 8 The bottom flanges I and 8" are separated by a strip of heat insulating material 44. They are united together in any suitable manner, as by rivets 45.

In Figure 15, the frame member corresponding to the frame member i, is the same construction as shown in Figure 1, except that the bottom flange 8, corresponding, to the bottom flange 8 (Figure '7), is in skeleton form to reduce the heat conducting metal to a minimum and thus retard the conduction of heat. As here shown, the bottom flange 8 is formed with slots 52 at intervals.

In the form shown in Figure 16, the frame member is generally of the same construction as that shown in Figure 14 and is composed of portions or sections 62, 63 with bottom flanges 8 and 8', which are separated at intervals by spacers 64 to provide an air gap between the bottom portions. The spacers 64 are metal and spot welded. as shown at 65, to the bottom flanges 8 8*.

The frame members shown in Figures 14 and 16 are formed up of two blanks, one of the blanks being formed with slots, corresponding to the slot 6. However, the corner plates iii and I4 and the remainder of the construction are the same as shown in the drawings of sheets 1 and 2.

What we claim is:-

1. A window frame construction comprising a sheet metal main frame member formed U- shaped in general form in cross section with the channel facing edgewise of the frame member outwardly, one flange of the U formation being wider than the ,other, and formed with slots at the exterior angles of the rounding corners of the wider flanges, corner plates secured to the wider flanges in said slots and squaring the corners, and additional frame strips secured to and overlying the outer flange of the frame member and the corner plates and having their inner margins spaced apart from the'inner margins of the wider flanges of the frame member, where they join the bottom of the frame member, thereby providing a groove for receiving glazing strips.

2. A window frame construction comprising a sheet metal main frame member formed U- shaped in general form in cross section with the channel facing edgewise of the frame member outwardly, one flange of the U formation being wider than the other, and formed with slots at the exterior angles of the rounding corners of the wider flanges, corner plates secured to the wider flanges in said slots and squaring the corners, corner plates secured to the narrower flanges and squaring the same at the exterior angles of the rounding corners of the narrower strip, and additional frame strips secured to and overlying the outer flanges of the frame member and the corner plates and having their'inner margins spaced apart from the inner margins of the wider flanges of the frame member, where they join the bottom of the frame member, thereby providing a groove for receiving glazing strips.

3. A sheet metal window frame including. a sheet metal rectangular frame member U- shaped in general form in cross section with rounding comers and with the channel of the U formation facing edgewise outward, and sheet metal corner plates at the exterior angles of the rounding corners of the flanges and arranged to square the flanges of the frame at the corners, said frame member being formed with two portions, each of which includes a transverse bottom flange spaced apart from the other, and means between the flanges for connecting them together and retarding conduction of heat from one bottom flange to theother.

- EDWARD F. CHAFFEE.

JOHN R. ANDERSON. 

